We are observing two different species populations recovering from disturbance. Both populations were reduced by about 80% with significant changes to their size structure. Following the disturbance, one population's size structure immediately returned while abundance remained low. The second population's abundance immediately returned while the size structure was unexpectedly different (shifted from a bi-modal to a uni-modal distribution). I am searching for some explanations for these different recovery patterns. Any help would be very much appreciated.
Thanks!
Hi Ross, you have an interesting question there. There might be several factors at play in your system. Species traits and interactions could play a big role in the recovery process. You have not mentioned whether the recovery of populations occured due to reproduction of the remnant population or due to immigration from undisturbed areas. Also, did the disturbance affect all sizes in the same way or were certain sizes more sensitive to it? Do the 2 species interact, what are their positions in the food web?
I don't know of any books on the subject, but a good summary of many (yet not all) factors at play in the recovery process was provided by Anna Gardmark et al. 2003.
Nika
Hi Nika,
Wow that paper is just what I was looking for, thank you very much! The two populations are both upper trophic level species. The first species (low abundance; normal size structure) was affected by an extreme regional scale disturbance. This disturbance also had disproportionate impacts on juveniles and the largest adults.
While the second species was impacted by a more localized disturbance, thus immigration from other less disturbed habitats is possible. But, it’s a pretty far swim for these fishes over a few different habitat types. We are not totally sure if the disturbance had stronger effects on different size classes. But, one year following the disturbance, we did not catch a single fish at the upper end of the pre disturbed size class.
Thanks again for responding!
Ross
Hi Ross,
I think that you can find more information in:
-Archimer,
-Plosone,
and in "Body Size..." a book by Hildrew, Raffaelli and Edmonds-Brown
Teofilo Melo
Hi Teofilo,
Thank you for commenting! Can you provide a bit more information about the first reference? I am having a hard time finding it.
Thanks!
Ross
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